The posting
Role Overview Penn Foster is seeking a strategic, commercially minded Client Success Manager to own a portfolio of high-value client relationships. This role is responsible for building trusted partnerships, driving client outcomes, protecting recurring revenue, identifying growth opportunities, and coordinating Penn Foster resources around each client’s priorities. The Strategic CSM serves as the day-to-day owner of the relationship and account plan, while partnering with the Director of Strategic Accounts on executive engagement, strategic risk, and complex growth opportunities. Strategic Account Leadership
Act as the business owner of a portfolio of assigned strategic accounts in the veterinary vertical with responsibility for client outcomes, retention, and growth. Develop and maintain actionable account plans that connect client priorities to Penn Foster capabilities, outcomes, renewal objectives, and growth opportunities. Develop and maintain joint success plans that ensure that clients achieve their desired outcomes and realize value from their partnership with Penn Foster. Build multi-threaded relationships across client organizations, including business, operational, procurement, and executive stakeholders. Lead regular business reviews, planning conversations, and other client engagements that create shared accountability for outcomes. Serve as the primary client advocate and coordinator across Penn Foster teams.
Retention, Risk, and Growth
Maintain clear visibility into client health, adoption, stakeholder engagement, renewal timing, contractual commitments, and business outcomes. Identify and address risks early through specific action plans, owners, dates, and escalation paths. Lead renewal planning and coordinate internal actions required to protect recurring bookings. Identify, qualify, and advance expansion opportunities in partnership with Sales, the Director of Strategic Accounts, and relevant subject-matter experts. Connect client needs to the right Penn Foster products, services, and capabilities without overpromising or creating unmanaged commitments. Maintain accurate CRM records, forecasts, account status, and next steps.
Cross-Functional Leadership
Coordinate Client Success, Sales, Product, Operations, Academic Services, Finance, and other partners around client priorities. Translate client feedback, performance data, and market context into clear internal recommendations. Influence outcomes through preparation, clarity, follow-through, and accountability rather than relying on formal authority. Share patterns and best practices that improve strategic account management across the team.
Success Measures
Net Revenue Retention and renewal performance Reduction of client risk and churn exposure Client outcome achievement and adoption Executive and multi-threaded relationship depth Quality and execution of account plans Forecast accuracy and CRM discipline
Skills and Experience
Experience in enterprise client success, strategic account management, consultative sales, account management, or a related client-facing role. Demonstrated success managing complex client relationships and driving retention, adoption, or expansion. Strong business judgment and ability to connect client goals to measurable outcomes. Executive presence and strong written, verbal, and facilitation skills. Experience working across matrixed organizations and influencing cross-functional teams. Strong organization, prioritization, forecasting, and CRM discipline. Experience in education, workforce development, talent solutions, SaaS, healthcare, or enterprise services preferred.
What Success Looks Like
Builds trust while maintaining commercial clarity. Knows the client’s priorities, stakeholders, risks, commitments, and next best actions. Brings prepared, outcome-oriented conversations to clients and internal partners. Escalates early and constructively when client outcomes or revenue are at risk. Creates growth through client value rather than treating growth as a separate sales motion. Operates as the accountable owner of the relationship while using the broader Penn Foster team effectively.
Working Conditions & Hiring Process:
U.S. Work Location Requirement: All employees must reside in and perform work within the United States. We do not support international remote work arrangements for this role. Travel Expectations: While this is a remote position, occasional travel may be required for team meetings, company events, conferences, summits, etc. Candidates must be willing and able to travel as needed. On-Camera Work Environment: We operate in a highly collaborative, remote, on-camera culture. Employees are expected to be on camera during meetings unless extenuating circumstances apply. Recorded Video Interviews: All video interviews conducted during the hiring process will be recorded to support internal hiring consistency and process improvement. Background Checks: Employment with Penn Foster Group is contingent upon successfully completing applicable pre-employment screening requirements, which may include verification of employment history, education, and criminal background, where permitted by law. Identity Verification (Form I-9): As part of our onboarding process, all hires must complete employment eligibility verification in compliance with federal law. This includes remote Form I-9 verification, which may require an in-person identity verification step with an authorized representative.
About Us: At Penn Foster Group, we are transforming online learning to help learners by uniting Penn Foster, CareerStep, Ashworth College, James Madison High School, the New York Institute of Photography, the New York Institute of Art and Design, and other education platforms. Together, we create an accelerated path to greater economic mobility through real-world skills and knowledge that enable them to achieve long-term success in the workplaces of the future. Our history dates back to 1890 when our founder, Thomas Foster, pioneered distance education by offering training by mail for coal miners to get the necessary skills for safer jobs. Today, with the partners who use our education and training programs, we continue that mission of providing accessible training and education for in-demand skills and are building a workforce that’s prepared for the future job market. Equal Employment Opportunity: We strive toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Penn Foster Group by intentionally building teams that are diverse – in identities, lived experiences, and ideas to create a culture where people feel connected to each other and have a sense of belonging. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion because it is the foundation that enables us to achieve what we set out to do as an organization – from maximizing the number of learners who can reach their goals while giving them the kinds of experiences we want them to have, to becoming the type of company we want to work in. What We Offer: We offer a robust benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, flexible spending, generous paid time off, sponsored volunteer opportunities, a 401K with a company match, plus free access to all of our online programs.
